The widespread ramp-up of hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, for oil and gas has collided with cities’ growth along Colorado’s Front Range, and elevated fears over health and environmental impacts as wellpads are sited near homes and schools.

A protest movement is gaining ground, and citizens aren’t waiting for state or local officials or the courts to hand down tougher rules to stop fracking. My article, “Front Range drilldown,” for High Country News in August 2013, covers the groundswells (energy-based and citizen-powered) ahead of the fall election season when several communities will vote on potential fracking bans.